One Shot in the Lifestream
by Abialla
Summary: A series of One Shot stories in the realm of FF7. This is just a bunch of single chapter whatevers that my mind just comes up with on the fly. There may be a few stories in here that relate to my main story. I will let you know at the start of the chapter if it does. Hope you all enjoy!


_**So I had a fairly silly dream a few nights back, and I decided to put it on paper (in a manner of speaking) for you all! Of course the dream was much choppier than this, but if I kept it following those exact details then this wouldn't make for a good story now would it? Anyway, here it is. My first One Shot titled: The Spinach Room. Rated T for some language. This has nothing to do with Through the Planet. This will just be filled with random short stories that my mind decides to tell me. As of right now it's only FF7...that may change depending on what I (day)dream about. If/when my mind comes up with something from some other universe I will move this story to a misc page. Until then though, enjoy!**_

 ** _I own nothing, except for Taira and Rett. The rest belongs to Square Enix._**

* * *

 _Shinra University: the school of the future, for the future. Generations of students, young men and women alike, come to this school to broaden their horizons and learn the value of a good education. With a variety of classes from the arts, to the sciences, Shinra U offers its student body a first class trip to a promised land full of knowledge. Located conveniently in the center of Midgar, inside Shinra HQ itself, there is always an ease of access for all residents within the city limits to attend. And with numerous housing options, even our out-of-town neighbors can enjoy the -_

Taira shut the television off, cutting the commercial narrator short of his sentence, as she finished her last sip of coffee and bounded out the door with keys and briefcase in hand. Losing track in time, she cursed herself from under her breath as she raced to the elevator. As the doors opened after her frantic pressing of the down button, she hopped inside, squeezing herself in between two other Shinra employees. As the lift began its descent she took a quick glance at her watch. 7:43AM. She had less than twenty minutes to get to the 'spinach room' drop off the package, and race to her own room to prepare for the day's classes.

The first day of classes for the new school year, and she was already running late. What kind of teacher was that? She took in a breath as she tried to calm herself down, though the slow descent of the elevator as it stopped on each and every floor to pick up and drop off passengers wasn't helping to alleviate any of her worry. She backed herself into the corner of the elevator and closed her eyes, trying her hardest not to mentally berate herself for lazily watching television so close to school hours. She couldn't help it though. The news had so much to share about all that was happening in the world. The SOLDIER's newest victory over Wutai, the future battles that were still to come, and the promotion of the First Class SOLDIERs. The news recapped the ceremony from last night as two new commanders and a new general accepted their medals and joined the ranks. Angeal, an honourable soldier; Genesis, a crimson romantic; and Sephiroth...The thought of his name alone was enough to make Taira lose herself in fear. She had never met Angeal, nor Genesis, but she had no choice but to meet face to face with the newly promoted general on a daily basis since she started working as a professor of Shinra U less than a year ago.

* * *

It had been only a few months before summer vacation when she received this new position in Shinra Headquarters. Previously she had been nothing more than a simple administrative assistant to one of the bigwigs of the company. Then, one day somebody had noticed her academic achievements and put in for her transfer. Before she could say anything regarding the matter, she had already been handed a new ID card, new set of keys, and a curriculum for which to follow. She had never taught anything to anybody before. How she was qualified for this position, she couldn't be sure. She supposed that it wouldn't be too difficult, however. So long as the students paid attention, this should be a breeze. And for a few days, it was. She had learned that the reason for the immediate transfer was due to the fact that her predecessor was MIA. For those who don't know, MIA stands for Missing In Action. That's right, a good portion of the teachers here are also soldiers. Men from all ranks and walks of life take their down time to teach the next generation, imparting their wisdom and experiences from both on and off the field. Of course there were female teachers as well. They, as well as some of their male counterparts, mainly taught the core classes: math, science, language, history, etc. The soldiers taught classes that were more focused. These topics mainly consisted of tactics, logistics, intelligence, and of course, physical education.

Every time she passed through these halls, there was almost always a group of students jogging past classrooms and up and down the stairs, led by a soldier barking commands at them to keep their pace. She would watch as she passed them by, engrossed in their stern expressions as they kept their focus on the head in front of them. Every single student who took these classes were men. Taira shook her head as she approached her recently acquired classroom. She never understood why she never saw a woman among those ranks. Surely they were just as capable as the men, right? She tried not to give it as much thought as she began to prepare for the coming lessons. First period was her 1st year mathematics class. She nearly deflated from the reminder as she stared at her planner. While her students over all were not terrible, the freshman were always the worst.

As she rounded her desk to begin unpacking her learning materials, she heard a soft knock from the door on the other side of the classroom. When she looked up from her paperwork that she had been leaning over, not even having a chance to sit down yet, she caught the eyes of a young female student. She quirked an eyebrow, confused by this visit from a student that was not one of her own. "Uhm...Ms. Jennings?"

"Yes?" She smiled politely and beckoned her in the classroom, letting her know that she had the right place. She could feel the tension coming off this girl's demeanor. What has her so nervous? "Do you need help with something?" Taira asked as a knot of worry began to form in her chest for the girl.

"N-n-no ma'am." She shook her head as she righted herself, attempting to pretend that she was comfortable. "I was told to bring you this." She was so struck by the girl's shy entrance that Taira hadn't even noticed the box that rested in her hands until it was handed over to her. As she grabbed it, she examined it more closely. It was a simple brown paper package with a string tied around to keep the wrapping shut. The box overall was no bigger than her slender hands. She looked back up at the girl as she continued, "I was also told to tell you that you were to bring it to room 222 before noon, and that you would receive a new package like this one each night before a school day in your mailbox at your apartment. And, just like this one, you're to bring it to the spina-...to room 222 before noon...every day. E-e-except for days where you don't receive a package. Then you don't have to worry about delivering anything." She watched as the girl let out a breath. Taira could understand the apprehension from her, a student telling a teacher what to do and giving her instructions. Talk about turning tables.

Taira just smiled at the girl, and gave her a light bow, "Thank you, I'll be sure to do just that." As she watched the girl calm down and gain a sense of ease around her, she asked, "If you don't mind my asking, what is in room 222? And who told you to come to me for this job?" The girl tensed up again as her gaze darted to the side as she fiddled with her thumbs.

As she bit her bottom lip she found herself unsure of how to answer, "Uhm...I was told not to say." This seemed suspicious.

"Told not to say which: who gave you these instructions, or what/who is in that room?"

"...b-b-both." She began inching backwards. "Look, just...be careful okay?" And with those parting words, the girl ran out of the room, leaving Taira alone, standing there completely dumbfounded. She sighed as she shrugged to herself, shaking her head at the girl's strange behavior. Heading back to her desk, she resumed preparing for the day ahead.

At 11:30am, the bell rang and Taira dismissed her class for lunchtime. After the last student left she glanced over at the small brown package that rested on her desk. Tapping her fingers a few times on the table's surface, she mulled over the validity of the girl's instructions. Finally, deciding to see what all the hullabaloo was about, she reached over and picked up the box and made her way to room 222. As she approached the metal plaque with the triple digit placed just above the door, she could see through the small window that all the lights were off inside. Was anybody even in there? Or was this just a prank some student decided to play on the new teacher? She pressed her lips into a thin line as she dwelled on the latter thought, unhappy with the turn of events. Nevertheless, she reached for the doorknob and opened the way into the classroom. At first, she wasn't sure where she was. Even though the lights were off, she could see well enough into the room from the hall light. There were no chairs, nor desks, for students to sit in and learn. It was an empty room. She took a step inside and glanced around. With the package in her left hand, she used her right hand to feel around the wall to the side of her, searching blindly for a light switch, but to no avail. She took a few more steps inside, examining the surroundings. The floor was carpeted, it was plush against her flat shoes. The windows to the right were shut and the shades were down. She could make out a few bookshelves along the wall to the left. And just ahead, was a desk much like her own, with paperwork cluttered all over it. She took a few more steps in, walking straight for the large desk in the room. Finding a lamp at its corner, she switched it on, and began examining the work in front of her. Squares and rectangles drawn in a way that resembled blueprints adorned the sheets. Upon which were red markings: dashes, dots, and x's placed purposefully in different areas, one mark, leading to another. She couldn't make heads or tails of it, but she was sure if she were given more time she could learn to understand the puzzle in front of her. However, she was out of time.

"Hadn't anyone ever told you that it is rude to touch what isn't yours?" Taira nearly jumped out of her skin as the deep voice sounded behind her. With a gasp, she whirled around, dropping the package she had been holding this entire time. She heard it bounce a few times just by her feet, only for it to step just in front of the man whose voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She didn't know what to make of this character. He was tall, far taller than she was. He was fair skinned, fair haired, fair eyed. If not for the dark black leather outfit, she'd swear she were talking with a ghost. She wasn't sure how to respond, how to react, being so taken aback by the sight of him, intimidated beyond measure. Perhaps this was why the girl was so petrified from talking to her about the package. The package...

Taira blinked at the thought and pulled herself out of her shock as she began looking around the ground for the package she was told to deliver here. "I-I-I'm sorry, sir. I don't know what came over me." She quickly apologized as she got down to her knees to retrieve the small box that nearly landed right on the man's feet. As she stood up, she bowed deeply, "I apologize, I came here because I was instructed to deliver this to you." As she rose back up, she held out the small brown box to the man. But he just stood there, staring at her. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear he was giving her the once over. With that thought she immediately tensed. She tried following his eyes, to see if he was indeed eyeing her up, but she witnessed no such actions from him. She stood there, steady, until he would grab the package, but still he did not move. Finally, after a few tense moments, she broke the silence, "I'm sorry, you're probably not expecting anything, are you? A student came into my classroom and told me I was to deliver this to this room, and that I would be doing this on a nearly daily basis. But I must have been sent on some kind of wild goose chase. A joke on the new teacher. I should have known better. I'm sorry again for wasting your time." She bowed once more before stepping around the man and beelined straight for the door.

"New teacher...you are Ms. Jennings?" She froze from his words. If it didn't have such a cold undertone, she was sure that she would easily melt if that voice ever addressed her by her first name. The thought alone sent chills up her spine, but she wouldn't let him see those thoughts on her face as she turned around to look at him. She merely nodded at him as she stood there in the doorway. She watched as he approached her, his features becoming clearer in the light of the hallway. He was beautiful. While he was still very fair all around, he wasn't nearly as ghost-like as he was in the darkness with the little illumination from the desk lamp. His silver hair cascaded down his back, reaching his knees. His bangs, beautifully framing his face. His eyes were like the Lifestream. Before she knew it, her gaze began to wander to other aspects of his person. The black leather outfit was a bit much for her taste, but it didn't leave much for the imagination as her gaze rested on the open chest. Just as her eyes began to drift lower, he heard him clear his throat. Her eyes immediately shot back up to his as her cheeks began to flush. What a hypocrite. Here she was, ready to scold him for eyeing her up, at least she thought he was, only to find herself treating _him_ as an object instead. What a lowlife. Sephiroth grabbed the package and ripped it out of Taira's hands as he spoke tersely, "This package is mine." His eyes narrowed as Taira's expression continued to betray her thoughts from before, no matter how much she willed her cheeks to cool down. "And no, there was no prank. You will be delivering a package like this one to me from this day forth. Understood?" His face inched in closer to hers, imposing his stature upon hers, intimidating her to the point where all she could do was let out a small squeak and a quick nod. "I can't hear you." His voice became very low, and it dripped with venom.

Taira immediately jumped to attention, bellowing out a loud, "Yes, sir!" and she froze. She'd never been in a position that required disciplinary action, especially not one that involved military-based conduct. But with all the war movies she'd watched, the goings-on in the world, and the atmosphere of the university, it was her first response to his order. Satisfied with her reaction, he nodded, and then turned, closing the door behind him, leaving her at attention in the hallway, still frozen from fear. It wasn't until she heard the whispers and giggles from nearby students who witnessed the spectacle that she relaxed from her position. Looking around at the crowd that had gathered, she took in a breath and brought out the teacher voice, "Get back to class!" With that last command, the crowds dispersed and she found herself walking back to her classroom, dejected, confused, and slightly...aroused?

* * *

The days continued on about the same from there. Every night she would receive a package at her doorstep, just as the student said, and everyday she would deliver that package to room 222. Taira had tried different methods of delivering them. Just before noon she would step in to the darkened classroom, always checking to see if he was in there. If she didn't see him, she'd run in, drop the package on the desk, and run out. If she did see him, however, he would never be looking at the door. Rather, he'd be looking in the opposite direction, towards the back wall. Perhaps he was sleeping? She didn't know. When she'd enter though, she would calm her breathing and carefully tip toe up to his desk while his chair remained turned around. With soft steps she would sometimes make it there and back without disturbing him once. A few times, however, something would trip her up and he'd turn to look at her, eyes glowing like a cat's in the dark, glaring in her direction. Each time she'd nearly freeze before sufficing to just throw the package and run.

As the months passed, her stealthiness had increased, certainly, but she was getting tired of this game of cat and mouse. It wasn't until the last few weeks of school did she learn that she could walk into room 222 before classes started, before he even arrived. The lights would be turned on, everything cleaned. The first time she entered so early she was confused of whether or not she was in the right room. That is, until the lights shut off as she stood in the middle of the room, and she heard his voice behind her. She nearly screamed at that as she threw the small box once more, and ran past him out the door. From then, though, she made it a habit to arrive extra early, and calmly drop off the package, without a disturbance, and without the stress.

But Summer vacation was at end before she knew it. It felt as if the time flew by for her as she waited patiently for the elevator doors to open, package in hand. She'd glance at her watch as each floor passed, 7:50am. She'll never make it in time. Classes start at 8, and no doubt in her mind that he'll already be in that room by now. There's no getting around it. She'll have to bring it to him on her free period just before lunch. She sighed at this realization as she stepped off the elevator onto the university floor, knowing she needed those 10 minutes to prep her work for the day. She passed the room on her way to her own, glancing through the window as she walked by, but the shade was down. She noticed light coming in from underneath the door. Maybe he hadn't arrived yet? She stood in the middle of the hallway for a few moments, mentally debating to just enter the room and drop off the package while she thought it safe. After glancing at her watch one last time, 7:52, she decided against it, and briskly made her way down the hall.

Classes began as usual. Taira Jennings greeted the new faces as the new year welcomed new students to her classroom. She wasn't a tough teacher, but she made her presence and authority known as she reviewed her year's curriculum to them, grading percentages, and classroom policies. She's had little experience as a teacher, but she knew respect had to be gotten on the first day, else she'd drown in the pool of teenage hostility. She knew to hold herself with confidence, with stern posture, but she still wore a small smile, giving her students a vibe of understanding and approachability. She needed to be a leader, and her students knew that she was.

The first day rolled by as the clock approached 11:30am. When the last student left, she opened up the drawer of her desk and stared at the small brown box. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but she knew she was stalling herself. She didn't want to face him. Whenever he did catch her she would get this vibe of disappointment from him. She could only feel small whenever his eyes would catch hers. He never said a word to her since that first day, but his expressions spoke paragraphs of his feelings towards her: pitiful, pathetic, worthless, useless, incompetent...her list goes on. Nevertheless, she took in a deep breath and grabbed the package. She wasn't going to test the possibility of not bringing it to him. She's heard the stories around the staff water-cooler in the teacher's lounge. He's cold, ruthless, brutal, feels no empathy towards others. Cross him, and you will meet your end. Steer clear from the Spinach Room if you can.

She never really understood the reason for that name. She puzzled over its meaning as she shuffled towards room 222, package in hand. Well, spinach has a very earthy taste, slightly bitter. It's a very stiff leaf when not cooked, stiffer than lettuce and other leafy foods. Not very many people like spinach. Maybe its describing his personality? It seems like it would fit him.

She pulled herself from her thoughts when she found herself in front of his door. The shade was still down. She took in a deep breath as she reached for the handle. As she turned the knob and began to open the door, she watched as light poured out of it. The lights are on...Is he not there? Before opening the door any further, she listened for any sounds. She could hear breathing, though it was faint. Perhaps he is in there, napping again? But why are the lights on? She took in a breath again and let it out slowly and opened the door all the way. She froze in the doorway at the sight before her. It looked like a classroom, like a regular classroom filled with desks and students and books. Each one sitting at their own tables, nose in a book, reading silently to themselves. What they were reading, Taira wasn't sure as she stopped looking at them and checked the plaque above the door. It read 222. Did he move rooms? Was she interrupting somebody else's lecture?

Her inner questions were interrupted when she heard the voice of one of the students, "Hey professor, there's somebody here for you!" She looked over at the student who spoke. He was looking directly at her with a confused expression as more heads began to turn to see who was intruding upon their study time. She then shifted her gaze to the teacher sitting at the desk, who looked up from his work to see who his visitor was. She couldn't believe what she was looking at. The package in her hand nearly fell to the floor as her mouth stood agape from the shock. It was him, but it wasn't...was it? Sephiroth stood up from his desk and made his way over to her. His step had much more energy to it than it had before as he skirted the walls, avoiding his students desks as he passed them by. His hair still flowed down his back to his knees, but his bangs were pulled back into a short stubby ponytail. He wore the same black pants and black boots with belts galore, but his shirt was a simple black button-down, sleeves rolled halfway up his forearm, and the top few buttons undone, allowing some definition from his chest to peek out.

Once he reached her, she moved her arm up to him, handing the package over in a robotic state. Her expression never change though, her eyes and mouth still wide open. Who was he? She thought as he left her a small smile once he grabbed the package from her. That took her out of her stupor. She'd never been more aware of herself until that moment as she heard snickering from the students in the classroom, no doubt noticing her reddened face due to the spiked heart rate he infixed upon her. She quickly closed her mouth as she glanced around the room, trying her hardest to avoid eye contact with him. She cleared her throat as she gave him a small bow of the head and an even smaller smile. Then, she left, closing the door behind her.

She didn't hear the click of the door shutting, but she could hear beyond it the laughter that ensued after her departure. "All right class, back to work. Show's over." She heard him speak to them with such light. And even a small chuckle. What happened over the summer that could have changed him so drastically? She was tempted to open the door again, just to peek, but then thought better of it as she started walking away. Still though...she glanced back to see that she hadn't closed the door all the way. The door was cracked open and her curiosity got a hold of her. She tiptoed back to the door and peeked an eye through the crack made between the door and door frame. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to see him standing by the windows, leaning against the pane as he started untying the package she handed to him. She watched him open the top of it and nodded, satisfied with its contents it seemed. He placed the box down on the sill next to him, folding his arms over his chest and watched his students read.

Now that she thought about, she had never really seen him before. It was always so dark when she was confronted by him, but now every detail of him had never been so clear. She knew he was gorgeous...but this was something else entirely. Before she knew it, she could feel her heart rate spike again. She knew he was attractive, but she also knew he had a terrible dark side to him, one that she would never wish to approach. Looking at him now though, every fiber in her being wished to pursue him. Every muscle twitched at the thought of his touch. And his voice. She could drown in that velvety sweetness.

Eye contact was made, pulling her out of her daydream. Her face immediately reddened as she whipped her head away from the door. She could hear his footsteps coming closer to her over her heart pounding in her ears. She quickly bolted into the nearest empty classroom and shut the door. She listened, hearing him move around the hall, making sure not to stray too far from his own classroom for fear of losing control of his class. Taira peeked slightly out the door's window to see him looking around for her. When his gaze scanned near her door, she quickly moved her head again out of sight. Only until she heard him walk back into his own room and heard the door shut did she let out a relieved sigh.

"Can I help you Taira?"

She gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin as she turned around to see Rett staring at her from his desk. This was also his free period. Rett Gaffrey was the Chemistry 101 professor. He was fairly short, shorter than she was at least, and she wasn't tall to begin with. He had very short black hair which he always greased back, and thick rimmed glasses that made his eyes look like they were 10 times bigger than they are. He had asthma, scoliosis of the upper back, and a slew of other medical problems that kept him from being able to join SOLDIER, much to his dismay. So he made it a point to work at Shinra U. If he couldn't be in SOLDIER, then he'd like to at least be able to instill knowledge upon possible future recruits. "Sorry Rett, was delivering to the Spinach Room again. Guess I freaked out and dashed here." She laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her head.

"I still can't believe they have you doing that. It used to be a student's job. I don't understand why they're making a teacher bring the mystery box to the mystery brooder." Rett shook his head. "That guy just doesn't know basic social skills."

"Uhm...actually..." Taira began, but then trailed off as her gaze slowly shifted back to the room across the hallway. All Rett could do was join her by the door and look at what she was seeing. Not seeing anything but the shaded window to room 222, he looked back at her with a confused expression. She kept her stare on the door, but saw him in her peripherals and continued, "He's changed."

"What?...How?"

She just shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure, but he's different now. The lights are on, he's teaching students. His clothes have changed, kinda, and so has his demeanor. He seems...nicer now..."

"Bullshit." He let out a loud laugh at her statement, "If he's so nice, then why did you run?"

"Because I'm a big fat scaredy-cat...also because he caught me peeking at him through the crack in the door." She abashedly admitted as her cheeks took on a rosy shade from embarassment.

Rett couldn't help but laugh even louder at this, "Oh man! Don't tell me you're falling for him!"

"WHAT!? NO!" That insinuation pulled her gaze right back to the tiny man in front of her, denying every claim he would, and did, throw at her. Infuriated with him she open the door and left, heading to her own classroom to have her lunch. Rett on the other hand continued to snicker as she stalked down the hallway with smoke coming out of her ears. Though he couldn't say that he wasn't intrigued. Nicer huh?

Rett walked back to his desk and grabbed his keys. As he left his room he locked the door behind him. No use leaving the door open without him in there. Too many students just waiting for him to slip up and allow them access to the chemicals inside. That's all he'd need on his plate. Students accidentally creating an explosion inside his classroom. What a way to lose his job. Once he was certain the door was secure, he made his way over to room 220, right next door to 222. Nobody used this classroom. No teacher wanted to be so close to the Spinach Room. He made his way towards the back of the classroom, reaching the door to the shared closet. He peeked inside, making sure it was empty of all life before he entered it. He then grabbed the handle of the door that led to the next room over. He very gently opened it, bent over, and he peeked inside. Did the General really clean himself up like Taira said? What he saw was indeed light, and some students with their heads bent over a book silently reading to themselves. He gathered up the courage to open the door a little wider. Unfortunately, the door faced the windows, hiding most of the classroom from view unless he opened it all the way. Rett scrunched his face in disappointment, though he supposed the classroom being used correctly should be evidence enough of Taira's claim.

Satisfied well enough with what he saw, he straightened himself back up, just about to close the door but it wouldn't budge. He tried pulling a little harder, but it still did not move. With both hands on the door handle now, he shifted all his weight backwards as he tried with whatever strength he could muster to close that door. Before he could get very far, though, the door swung open the opposite way he was pulling. He immediately let go of the handle, surprised by its movement as he fell backwards, ass hitting the cold linoleum floor below. "Wah!" He let out a small yelp as he made contact with the ground and immediately began rubbing his lower back. Once he looked up to find the cause of this event, he immediately froze. Standing in the doorway, blocking the rest of the classroom from view, was Sephiroth himself. Taira was right, his outfit and hair did change...his expression, however, did not. The glare Rett was receiving was filled with ice and chilled him to the bone. His fight or flight instincts kicked in and he immediately turned, crawling out the opposite doorway while struggling to get back onto his feet. His breathing haggard now from fright, and completely on his feet once more, he ran through room 220, across the hall, and stopped at his own door and began pulling on that handle. But it wouldn't budge. Why won't it open!? Rett kicked himself as he remembered that he had just locked it. He reached into his pocket and grabbed his keys, fumbling with them to get the right key in the hole. Every fiber of his being was shaking, Sephiroth hadn't changed. What was Taira talking about? His appearance may have, but he's still the same cold, icy bastard he's always been.

Finally accomplishing his goal of finding the right key, he turned the knob and proceeded to open the door. Once he managed to open it slightly however, it ripped away from his grip and slammed shut in front of him. Looking just above his head he found the culprit. A pale slender hand, fingers longer than his own, was placed against the door holding it shut. All color drained from the tiny man's face as he slowly turned around to see Sephiroth standing there with the same cold expression. He mentally cursed himself for locking his classroom door. He'd rather be fired than dead. "Might I ask what you were doing spying on my class?" His voice matched his face. Calm, but forceful and intimidating. Rett merely gulped as he tried to find the words...

* * *

A few hours passed. It was the last period of the first day back at school and Taira was already exhausted. How could so much happen in just 7 hours? She sighed as she sat at her desk, reclining on it slightly as she stared at the ceiling. She could hear to her students scribbling on their papers. With time left over after her lesson she allowed them to begin their homework before leaving for the day. She could hear whispering as well as some of them worked in pairs or small groups on it. But the sounds became nothing but white noise to her as her mind drifted elsewhere. She'd never admit out loud to Rett's accusation from earlier, but she could be honest with herself. She found herself unable to stop thinking about the Spinach Room. What happened over the summer?

A soft knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts as she rose to see who it was. A couple of the students were staring at the window, mouths agape when they witnessed who was at the other side. Taira paid no mind to their expressions, mindlessly wandering to the door and opening it without paying attention to her surroundings. Part of her mind was still not in that classroom.

Actually, that part was standing right in front of her. Sephiroth stood there, with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression wasn't terribly stern, but she still felt insignificant standing so close to him. "Are you busy after class?" He spoke frankly with little emotion in his words. What could he want from her? She gave him his package. Is this about her spying on him? Will she be disciplined? Will she lose her job for insubordination? He stress level began to rise as she slowly shook her head no. "Come see me in my classroom the moment you're free." He stated once and immediately turned a full 180 and headed down the hall to his own room. With that she closed the door, though she didn't move as she heard the whispers commence behind her. She turned to see her students no longer focusing on their work but staring at her, though talking to each other about what had just happened. Her teacher mode immediately kicked in and he she brought her face back from the shocked expression that Sephiroth caused, to the stern expression of a teacher whose classroom was misbehaving.

* * *

Taira found herself standing in front of room 222. The door was closed and shade was down, as was usual it seemed. She was afraid, to say the least, of what was going to happen once she walked in there. But then, she knew what would happen if she didn't, so she decided upon the lesser of two evils as she grabbed the door handle and turned it. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside, "You...wanted to see me, sir?" Her voice was smaller than she's ever heard it. She wasn't even sure he could hear her. And this formality she was using to address him was very foreign to her, but she didn't know any other way to speak to him.

"Come in." She inched her way into the classroom. The room was extremely different from what she remembered. The vibe she got when she stepped past the desks felt different as well. But that wasn't going to stop her from remembering all her times in this room last year. The idea sent shivers up her arms thinking about the gloomy and spooky atmosphere he had initially created for this space. He gestured to one of the student's desks that sat directly in front of his own. As she sat down, he stood up and circled his desk until he was right in front of her, leaning his rump against its edge with his arms crossed over his chest as before. His eyes were closed as he thought about what to say to her. To Taira, he looked almost as if he were relaxing, ready to take a nap standing up. But she dared no speak a word until she heard him begin, "So, Dr. Gaffrey paid me a visit earlier." She cocked an eyebrow at this statement. Why did Rett go to see him? "He told me why. He said it had to do with something you had said about me." Taira felt herself shrinking as she sunk into her seat. She felt just like a student again, waiting for the punishment that would no doubt ensue. She felt her embarassment scorching her cheeks as she resisted the urge to cover her face with her hands, sufficing to merely stare at the ground at his feet. "I suppose you want to know why the change...I could tell you." She hadn't expected that. She shot back up to his face, his eyes were open, studying her. She opened her mouth slightly to say something. But, without knowing what to say, she just nodded instead. He gave a small chuckle, if you could call it that. It was just a very quick exhale out his nose with the beginnings of a smirk attempting to pull at his lips. "I met someone..." She took it back. THAT was unexpected...and for some reason, disappointing. When someone says they met someone, that usually means it's someone they fell in love with. She felt a hole in the pit of her stomach form, and her heart...it was strange. She felt...dejected. "Actually," he corrected himself, "I met a couple of people, I should say." She furrowed her brows, even more confused than before. Does he have a harem? "You're confused." Taira just nodded slowly, "It's a long boring story. You wouldn't be interest, I'd think."

With that she merely sat back on her chair and gave him a look that said 'really.' She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, dissatisfied with his response, and said, "I already told you that I wasn't busy. I don't have anywhere to be."

She watched his eyebrows shoot up from her response, "So, you can talk. I was beginning to think you became a mute over your summer vacation."

Your? But he's a teacher too, so wouldn't he-...right...SOLDIER. "I haven't. But I will stay quiet while you tell me your story." She gave a small lopsided smile, her nervousness melting away. Perhaps it was because he was talking to her like a human being, or maybe because he's become emotionally unavailable in her mind he's easier to talk to without her guard up. Either way, she listened intently to his stories in SOLDIER. Being a First Class SOLDIER alongside two others, fighting the Wutai war, working as a teacher on his down time. He spoke of Genesis and Angeal. So those were the people he was talking about. He explained how before them he was a recluse. She could have guessed that. Growing up in the Shinra labs had made him socially inept. He didn't know how to read people emotionally, only their movements on a battlefield. It was because of Genesis and Angeal that he was able to break out of his shell, shed that robotic exterior, and become a functioning member of society. At least, that's the way Taira worded it in her head. Sephiroth just said that they helped him to feel. So that was it. Friendship did this to him. She was happy to hear such a nice ending to his life's journey, though also a little jealous of the other two Firsts, that it was their influence that changed him for the better. All she did was run away from him like every other jerk who refused to understand him. She sighed at this revelation about herself.

"You are disappointed? Was my story bad?"

She shot back up to him and proceeded to shake her head, "No, no, it was a great story! I mean it! It was just...a lot. You've had some life. More people should understand you like your friends do."

He smirked at this statement as he glanced towards the ground, feeling slightly relieved. Another weight had been taken off his shoulders. He looked back to her and reverted back to a slightly serious tone, "Do you know why I told you this story? At least, the parts about SOLDIER?" She shook her head. "Hm...then do you know why you're the one delivering my package to me, and not one of the students like it's been in the past?"

"No, but that reminded me. I've been meaning to ask you, what's in that package? If you don't mind me asking of course."

He turned the look at his desk and spotted the package she had delivered to him earlier that day. He picked it up and handed it to her, "See for yourself."

The paper was already ripped off. All she had to do was unfold the top flaps to see the leafy greens that rested at the bottom of the box. She picked up one of them and examined it, "Spinach?...what do you need this for?"

He merely shrugged and spoke so matter-of-factly, "For lunch."

"...what?"

"Constantly being I the move because of the war and teaching whenever I do have free time hasn't given much in the way of grocery shopping. So I tend to order a sandwich from the cafeteria. Problem is, they don't carry spinach."

That's why they call his classroom the spinach room. Taira has been delivering an ingredient for his lunch this entire time. Her blood began to boil at this news, "You mean to tell me, that last year, you put me through all that stress because you wanted a more nutritional lunch!?" With this outburst she jumped out of her seat and looked him dead in the eye, "Why?! Why me?"

"Because I requested that it be you."

"what?! Why?!"

"Because I wanted to observe you."

"You were testing me?!" She was furious by this point.

"I wanted to see how you held yourself in a stressful situation. I wanted to witness firsthand your problem solving skills." He inched his face closer to hers, asserting his dominance and that he wouldn't be swayed by her feeble outburst, "I wanted to see if you were really as much of a woman as your credentials stated that you were."

"wha-..."

"I happened upon your file one day and saw your exemplary achievements. Top of your graduating class and very athletic. Your skills are vast and your past...your past was hard. Coming from the slums with not a gil to your name, now working in Shinra after passing through its university on a grant and two part time jobs." Listening to him regale to her her entire life, all her hardships and successes, left her breathless. He paid so much attention to her life...why? "When I first saw you, however, I must say I was disappointed. I though I'd see somebody tougher, a fighter. Instead I got a weak little girl who ran at the sight of danger." She wanted to yell at him again...but she knew better. He was right. "That is, until I saw that you weren't about strength, but smarts." She cocked an eyebrow at this statement. "You went in blind at first, too curious for your own good, but from then on you consistently assessed your situation. You'd try new methods and you weren't afraid to make attempts at old methods. Once you found that you could deliver the package to me before I arrived I was a little disappointed, though hardly surprised. If my classroom had been a battlefield, and you stuck around, you'd certainly have the element of surprise on your side. However, you shouldn't dismiss your stealth." He straightened himself back up as he continued his lesson, "You have a gift. There were times I hadn't noticed your arrival or departure when I when I turned to see the box on my desk. You should hone that skill."

Where was all of this coming from? Why was he analyzing everything about her? What could he gain by learning so much of her life and skills? "I don't understand...if Shinra hadn't put in for my transfer to the university, how could you have seen all of this?"

With this question, he showed her a full smile, "Who do you think put in for your transfer?" She could only stand there, mouth agape. Did she hear him correctly? It was him? "Tell me, Taira Jennings, have you ever once considered the possibility of becoming the first female SOLDIER?"

* * *

 _ **Aaaaaand then I woke up.**_

 _ **lol**_


End file.
